Air cleaner



y 1933- G. M. WALTON 1,918,006

AIR CLEANER Filed Jan. 26, 193i INVENTOR 620/3 4:- M ML 704 ATTO RN EYS v Patented July' 11, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE M. WALTON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO AIR MAZE CORPORATION, OF

CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OI DELAWARE AIR CLEANER Application filed January 26, 1931. Serial No. 511,228.

This invention relates to air cleaners and has reference to a type of cleaner having a plurality of cleaning elements which function on diflerent principles, so that a1r passing through the cleaner will be sub ected in succession to a corresponding plural1ty of cleaning treatments. The present inventlon contemplates the combination of air maze type of filter, with an inertia or reverse flow type of separator, and provides for a max1- mum of Wet surface against which solids entrained in the air will be thrown and by which such solids will be retained and washed away.

The principal objects ofthe invention are to provide a simple yet most effective arrangement of the parts for the purpose intended and to provide for easy disassembly for servicm T lie exact nature of this invention together with further objects and advantages thereof will be apparent from the following descrlption taken in connection with the accompany: ing drawing, in which Fig. 1 IS a sectional elevation of the complete cleaner, parts being broken away to show details of construction; and Figs. 2 and 3 are detail side elevat1ons of parts appearing in Fig. 1, the plane of Fig. 1 being that of line 11, Figs. 2 and 3.

With reference now to the drawing, the cleaner is adapted for attachment to a downwardly opening air outlet such as the flanged pipe 1 into which the cleaned air is to be delivered. The principal parts of the cleaner are a frame 2, an air maze filter 3 secured therewith, and a housing thereabout and comprising an upper member 4 and a lower mem- The frame 2 is secured with the pipe 1 as by a number of bolts 6 and the upper housing member 4 is conveniently secured between the frame 2 and the flange of the pipe 1 as indicated. The member 4 is generally cylindrical opening downwardly and provided with a central opening corresponding with that of the pipe 1. The frame member 2' has a number of legs 7 which carry a boss 8 having a central screw-threaded opening. The air maze filter includes a number of convolutions of wire screen or other perforated material as indicated at 9, which together form the cylindrical maze shown. A cap 10 is provided at the lower end of the maze to close the central opening thereof, and the cap is firmly secured to the cylindrical maze by a peripherally serrated disc as indicated at 11. Beneath the convolutions of the maze, the cap 10 is perforated as at 23 by a row of peripherally spaced openings, so that drainage may be had from the maze to the lower housing member 5. The cap, and thus the maze itself, is secured with the frame 2 by a bolt 12 turned into the boss 8 as indicated and having a head 13 outside of the cap 10 for the purpose.

The housing member 5 has a hemispherical bottom portion as indicated and its upper end is open so that it may be positioned in telescoping relation with the upper housing member with its month about the'latter so as to form an annular passage 14 leading downwardly into the housing. The diameter of the lower housing member at its mouth is slightly greater than that of the upper hous-' ing member 4 to this end. The upper housing member is provided 011 its outer surface with a number of helically extending members 15 of sufficient thickness to insure concentric relation between the two housing members. Into these members 15 are set threaded studs 16 extending radially outwards as indicated and each carrying a nut 17. The upper extremity of the lower housing member is turned down to form a collar 18 which is provided with an L slot as at 19, one for each stud 16. The arrangement will be recognized as providing a bayonet joint between the housing members whereby the lower housing member may be secured to the upper one by an upward movement followed by a short right turn, whereupon tightening of the nuts 17 will insure maintenance of the assembly.

Upon the upper housing member and above the lower housing member is secured a flange 20 which extends outwardly beyond 1 that dust from above the cleaner may not drop thereinto. The flange 20 is provided, at each of the members 15, with a lug 22 against which the lower housing member may bear while being rotated to bring its bayonet slots 19 into registry with the studs- 16. The air maze screen 9 extends consequently below the mouth of the upper housing member, and the lower housing member is preferably provided with a bead 21 between these two levels. The purpose of this bead is to indicate the proper liquid level.

It will be noted that the general arrangement of the partsvis concentric, flow upward ly and centrally into the pipe 1 being from lateral directions about thecircu-mference of the housing,'downwardly through the annular passage 14, about the lower edge of the upper housing member 4, radially inwardly throu h the an maze screen 9, and upwardly.

Be ore operation the screen 9 is dipped in liquid such as oil, so that its: meshes are wet. The lower housing member is filled with the same liquid up to the level of the bead 21.

Air moving downwardly in the annular passage 14 is given a sharp bend about the edge of the member 4. Particles entrained in the air find difliculty in so suddenly changing their direction of motion and are consequently caused to impinge upon the surface of the liquid in the lower housing member; where they are thus retained. The air then finds its way through the maze of the meshes 9 which by their wetted surfaces retain such solids as may remain in the air. Owing to the curvature of the bottom portion of the housing member 5 any such slight motion as the cleaner may receive from vibration of the engine or other machinery which it serves, or from the vehicle of which such engine may form a part, causes the liquid to be thrown about and carried upwardly at the sides. Thus the parallel edges of the two housing members, which form the walls of the passage 14, are maintained wet and have large capacity to retain solids. Likewise, the liquid may be thrown up onto the screening 9 of the air maze and maintain this both wet and to some extent clean.

It will be apparent that disassembly is bad by loosening the bolts 17 and removing the lower housing member after which the screen 9 may be removed by turning out the bolt 12. Nothing more need be removed for complete servicing, and the parts may be replaced in the reverse order.

What I claim is:

1. In an air cleaner of the class described, a frame adapted for attachment to a downwardly opening air outlet, a housing comrising an upper member secured to said rame and opening downwardly and a lower member opening upwardly and detachably secured to said upper member with its mouth about that of the upper member to provide an annular passage opening leadin downwardly into said housing, said lower housing member being adapted to contain liquid at a level below that of the mouth of said upper housing member, and air maze filter means detachably secured to said frame within said housing and extending downwardly therein below the liquidlevel of the lower housing member.

2. In an air cleaner of the class described,

a frame adapted for attachment to a downwardly opening air outlet, a housing comprising an upper member secured to said rame and opening downwardly and a lower member opening-upwardly and detachably secured to said upper member with its mouth thereabout to provide an annular passage leading downwardly into said housing, said lower housing member being adapted to contain liquid at a level below that of the mouth of said upper housing member, and air maze filter means detach ably secured to said frame Within said housing and extending downwardly therein below'the mouth of the uper housing member, the bottom of the lower ousing member being of spherical conformation, whereby motion of said cleaner will cause said liquid to be thrown against said filter means.

3. In an air cleaner of the class described,

a frame adapted for attachment to a downwardly opening air outlet, a cylindrical housing comprising an upper member secured to said frame and opening downwardly and a lower member opening upwardly and detachably secured to said upper member with its mouth thereabout to provide an annular passage leading downwardly into said housing, and cylindrical air maze filter means detachably secured to said frame to be supported within said housing wholly clear of said lower housing member and of the mouth part of said upper housing member, said parts being concentrically positioned whereby flow into and through said air cleaner will be substantially uniform about the axis thereof.

4. In an air cleaner of the class described,

a frame adapted for attachment to a downwardly opening air outlet, a housing comprising an upper member secured to said frame and opening downwardly and a lower member opening upwardly and detachably secured to said upper member with its mouth thereabout to provide an annular passage leading downwardly into said housing, filter means within said housing, and a. flange upon said upper housing member overhanging said annular passage to cause entry thereinto to be from a lateral direction, said flange having downwardly extending lugs adapted to engage the lower housing member to position the same in the assembly.

5. In an air cleaner of the class described and including a housing having a lower member adapted to contain a liquid, and a convoluted cylindrical air maze'of substantial thickness in said housing, said air maze including a cap for closing its lower end, said cap having perforationslocated immediately beneath the convolutions of themaze to provide drainage from the maze into said liquid.

6. In an air cleaner of the class described and including a housing having a lower member adapted to contain a liquid, and a convoluted cylindrical air maze in said housing with the lower extremities of its convolutions extending below the level of said liquid, said air maze including a cap for closing its lower end, said cap having perforations located beneath the convolutions of the maze to provide drainage from the maze into said liquid. I

7. In an air cleaner of the class described, a frame adapted for attachment to a downwardly opening air outlet and having an opening leading thereto, cylindrical air maze filter means arranged with one end open for delivery through said opening and having a closure for its other end, means associatin said closure with said frame to removab ly secure said filter means, an upper housing member secured to said frame and extending downwardly about said filter means with a mouth spaced therefrom, and a lower housing member adapted to contain a liquid,

with an upwardly opening mouth about that of the upper member and spaced therefrom and from said filter means to provide an annular passage opening leading downwardly into said housing below said filter means and removably secured with the mouth of said upper housing member.

8. In an air cleaner of the class described,

a frame adapted for attachment to a downwardly opening air outlet, and having an opening leading thereto, cylindrical air maze filter means detachably secured to said frame with one end open for delivery through said opening and the other end closed, a housing comprising an upper member secured to said frame and'opening downwardly aboutsaid In testimony whereof l hereby afiix my signature.

GEORGE M. WALTON. 

